How to Write 茇 (bá) — Meaning “Grass roots / To camp out”

Picture a friend (犮 looks like a friend with a dot) helping you pull up grass (艹) to build a simple tent. The sound "bá" can remind you of the sound a sheep makes, and sheep eat grass roots, linking to the meaning.

Write the top grass radical (艹) with two slightly slanted vertical strokes. Then the bottom part 犮 starts with a horizontal, a left-falling stroke, a curved hook, and a dot. A common mistake is making the bottom part too narrow; keep it as wide as the top for balance.

The bottom of 茇 uses 犮 (with a curved hook and dot), while 兹 uses 玄 (with straight strokes) and 艻 uses 力 (power). In meaning, 茇 relates to grass roots or shelters, 兹 means 'this' or 'now', and 艻 refers to a type of grass. Visually, 茇 has a distinctive hook that the others lack.

茇 is rare in modern everyday language and not in the HSK list. It appears in classical literature for words like 茇舍 (simple hut) and 根茇 (roots and stubble). You might encounter it in poetry, historical texts, or botanical descriptions.

Common words containing 茇 include: 茇舍 (bá shě) — Simple hut / Temporary shelter; 根茇 (gēn bá) — Roots and stubble; 茇茇 (bá bá) — Luxuriant growth.